Golf practice and exercise mat

ABSTRACT

A golf practice and exercise mat having two striking contours with different heights and contours of artificial grass which gives golfers practice and exercise by swinging a golf club through the contoured pile that applies resistance to the golf club as the club head travels though the pile, thus enhancing strength and improving muscle memory. One contour, for irons, has the grass pile of the carpet increasing in height at a moderate, curved upward slope to an apex and then decreasing in height at a gradual, linear downward slope. The second contour, for woods, has the grass pile increasing in height at a gradual approximately linear slope until a transition point is reached at which the grass strand height increases in a single step change to a height at least two times greater than the height of the previous pile, and then decreasing in height in a linear downward slope.

FIELD OF INVENTION

[0001] The present invention relates to golf practice and exercise matsthat enables a golfer to practice golf swings using irons or woods andprovides the golfer with exercise to enhance strength by exertingresistance against the club head as the club travels through the pile ofthe mat.

BACKGROUND OF INVENTION

[0002] Practice golf mats are known generally, for example U.S. Pat. No.3,459,107, which discloses a golf striking mat that simulates hitting agolf ball from the “rough” on a golf course, as does U.S. Pat. No.5,354,064. While these previous mats enable a golfer to practice hittingout of the “rough”, these constructions do not provide enhancedresistance for exercise purposes, and do not provide a selection ofcontours for use with different clubs.

[0003] Other mats provide varying heights of pile on the mats, such asdisclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 3,414,266, which teaches a mat for practicingputting with three well defined pile heights to simulate the roll of agolf ball on different green heights. U.S. Pat. No. 5,655,974 teaches agolf practice surface assembly having a plurality of areas simulating,by height and density, golf course surfaces, e.g., fairway, rough andsand trap. These prior mats provide a golfer some variety regarding thefeel and resistance of the grass when striking a ball resting on the matwith a golf club.

[0004] There are also some specialized practice mats such as U.S. Pat.Nos. 4,294,450, 5,046,741, and 5,443,870. These constructions disclosemats for practicing putting or for hitting a ball on an angled slope.

[0005] None of the prior art, however, discloses a contoured matconfiguration for swinging a golf club into an initial low height,through an upwardly inclined contour and exiting through a followingdownwardly inclined contour.

OBJECT AND SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0006] The object of the present invention is to provide a mat thatgives golfers practice and exercise by swinging a golf club throughcontoured pile that applies resistance to the golf club as the club headtravels though the pile, thus enhancing strength and improving musclememory.

[0007] A further object of the present invention is to provide thegolfer, on one practice mat, the realistic feel and resistanceexperienced when hitting a ball with an iron or wood type club.

[0008] Basically, the mat of the present invention has at least onestriking surface of artificial grass pile, or similar material,increasing in height at an upwardly inclined slope to an apex followingwhich the grass pile height decreases in a gradual, approximately lineardownward slope. The contour allows the golfer to experience theincreased resistance as the club moves through progressively highergrass. This is accomplished by having the golfer take a normal stancerelative to the practice mat, the grass height increasing along a pathnormally followed by a golf club when a golfer strikes a golf ball. Whenthe golfer performs a typical swing and follow through, the head of thegolf club initially sweeps over the initial low pile, then encounters anincreasing height of pile as the club travels through the upward slopeof the pile to the apex at which point the club head is completelyenveloped within the grass pile, and gradually emerges from the grasspile until the club head is completely free.

[0009] A preferred embodiment of the mat of the present invention is asingle construction having two striking areas with different contours ofartificial grass piles, or similar material. For purposes of discussion,the term “artificial grass” encompasses artificial grass and othersimilar materials. One striking area, used with irons, has the pile ofartificial grass increasing in height at a moderate, curved upward slopeto an apex following which the grass strand height decreases in agradual, approximately linear, downward slope. The second striking areaof the mat of the present invention is for practicing with a wood typeclub. It has a grass pile contour in which the grass pile heightincreases at a gradual, approximately linear upwardly inclined slope toa transition point at which the grass pile height increases in a stepchange such that the transition height exceeds the height of theprevious grass pile by at least two times, then decreases in a lineardownward slope. When a golfer swings a wood type club, the face of theclub head encounters the step change in height thereby causing the faceof the club head to be enveloped in the grass pile and thus immediatelyincreasing the resistance felt by the golfer. As the golfer continuesthrough the swing to the follow through, the club head gradually emergesfrom the grass pile along the downward slope, correspondingly reducingthe resistance felt by the golfer.

[0010] A preferred embodiment of the present invention is the use ofopposing contoured piles to increase the resistance felt by the golfer.This embodiment includes a base mat with a contoured striking areasimilar to those discussed above for the iron and wood type golf clubs.Attached to the base mat and extending upwardly is a support structure.The support structure is L-shaped with a vertical leg and a horizontalleg. The horizontal leg is opposite the base mat and the vertical legmaintains the horizontal leg and the base mat in a vertical spacedrelationship. The horizontal leg extends over a portion of the base mat.A projecting surface is attached to the horizontal leg and is orientedtoward the base mat. The projecting surface includes a contoured pilethat extends downwardly toward the contoured striking area of the basemat. At a point intermediate the projecting surface and the base mat,portions of the contoured striking area overlap a portion of thecontoured pile of the projecting surface such that the two portionsmesh, thus increasing the resistance experienced by a golfer as a clubhead engages the meshed portions.

[0011] Further details, features and advantages of the present inventionwill be understood from the following disclosure of exemplaryembodiments with reference to the accompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0012]FIG. 1 is a plan view of the mat of the present invention showingthe striking areas and the location and orientation of the golfer inrelation to the striking areas.

[0013]FIG. 2 is a vertical cross-section of the iron striking areaviewed along line 2-2 in FIG. 1.

[0014]FIG. 3 is a vertical cross-section of the iron striking areaviewed along line 3-3 in FIG. 2.

[0015]FIG. 4 is a view similar to that illustrated in FIG. 2 showing theinteraction of a face of a iron golf club head with the mat at the apexof the contour as the golf club is swung by a golfer.

[0016]FIG. 5 is a view similar to that illustrated in FIG. 2 showing theinteraction of an iron golf club head with the grass pile of the mat asthe golf club exits the grass pile along the downward slope of thecontour as the golfer continues with the follow through of the golfswing.

[0017]FIG. 6 is a view similar to that illustrated in FIG. 2 showing theinteraction of an iron golf club head with the grass pile of the matafter the golf club exits the grass pile as the golfer completes thefollow through of the golf swing.

[0018]FIG. 7 is a vertical cross-section of the striking area for a woodtype club viewed along line 7-7 in FIG. 1.

[0019]FIG. 8 is a vertical cross-section of the striking area for a woodtype club viewed along line 8-8 in FIG. 7.

[0020]FIG. 9 is a view similar to that illustrated in FIG. 7 showing theinteraction of the face of a wood type club head with the grass pile atthe vertical transition point of the contour as the golf club is swungby a golfer.

[0021]FIG. 10 is a view similar to that illustrated in FIG. 7 showingthe interaction of a wood type golf club head with the mat as the golfclub exits the grass pile of the mat along the downward slope of thecontour as the golfer continues with the follow through of the golfswing.

[0022]FIG. 11 is a view similar to that illustrated in FIG. 7 showingthe interaction of a wood type golf club head with the mat after thegolf club exits the grass pile of the mat as the golfer completes thefollow through of the golf swing.

[0023]FIG. 12 is a breakaway elevation view of a golf practice apparatusof the present invention illustrating the opposing contoured piles andthe support structure maintaining a spaced relation between the opposingcontoured piles.

[0024]FIG. 13 is an elevation view similar to that illustrated in FIG.12, showing the base mat having a striking area for a wood type golfclub.

[0025]FIG. 14 is a vertical cross-section of the golf practice apparatusviewed along line 14-14 in FIG. 13.

[0026]FIG. 15 is a view similar to that illustrated in FIG. 13 showingthe interaction of the face of a wood type club head with the opposingcontoured piles at the vertical transition point of the base mat contouras the golf club is swung by a golfer.

[0027]FIG. 16 is a view similar to that illustrated in FIG. 13 showingthe interaction of a wood type golf club head with the opposingcontoured piles as the golf club exits the grass pile of the mat alongthe downward slope of the base mat contour as the golfer continues withthe follow through of the golf swing.

[0028]FIG. 17 is a view similar to that illustrated in FIG. 13 showingthe interaction of a wood type golf club head with the mat after thegolf club exits the opposing contoured piles as the golfer completes thefollow through of the golf swing.

[0029]FIG. 18 is a view similar to that illustrated in FIG. 2 showingthe interaction of a face of a iron golf club head with the opposingcontoured piles at the apex of the base mat contour as the golf club isswung by a golfer.

[0030]FIG. 19 is a view similar to that illustrated in FIG. 18 showingthe interaction of an iron golf club head with the opposing contouredpiles as the golf club exits the base mat contour along the downwardslope of the base mat contour as the golfer continues with the followthrough of the golf swing.

[0031]FIG. 20 is a view similar to that illustrated in FIG. 18 showingthe interaction of an iron golf club head with the opposing contouredpiles after the golf club exits the base mat contour as the golfercompletes the follow through of the golf swing.

[0032]FIG. 21 is an elevation view of the golf practice apparatusshowing the flat contour of the opposing piles.

[0033]FIG. 22 is a horizontal cross section showing the arrangement ofthe enmeshed opposing contoured piles as viewed along line 22-22 in FIG.21.

[0034]FIG. 23 is a vertical cross section showing the enmeshing of theopposing contoured piles of the apparatus shown in FIG. 21.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

[0035] The golf practice mat 10 shown in FIG. 1 comprises an artificialgrass mat having sufficient area to include an iron striking area 20, awood striking area 30 and a golfer stance position 40, on which a golfermay position himself to practice his golf swing using either strikingarea. The golf practice mat 10 has an artificial grass carpet of varyinggrass pile height in the iron striking area 20 and the wood strikingarea 30. The grass pile is affixed to a standard backing 45 which inturn rests on a floor or ground when the golf practice mat 10 is in use.The golfer stance position 40 illustrates the proper orientation of thegolfer relative to the iron striking area 20 and the wood striking area30.

[0036] The iron striking area 20 is contoured as illustrated in FIGS.2-6. Shorter grass pile extends for a first portion 24 of the ironstriking area 20. A series of increasingly taller grass piles extendalong a second portion 22 of the iron striking area 20, the relativeincrease conforming to a curved, moderately steep upward slope. A thirdportion 26 of the iron striking area 20 begins at the apex of the secondportion 22 and has a gradual, approximately linear slope of decreasinggrass pile height. In a preferred embodiment, the grass pile varies inheight from about 2 inches to about 8 inches with the maximum heightoccurring at the apex of the second portion 22.

[0037] The wood striking area 30 is contoured as illustrated in FIGS.7-11. Grass pile extends for a first portion 35 of the wood strikingarea 30 on an approximately linear gradual upwardly inclined slope,approximately doubling in height. A second portion 33 of the woodstriking area 30, immediately following the first portion 35, has aninitial grass pile of a height that exceeds the height of the longergrass pile of the first portion 35 by at least 2 times, preferablybetween about 3 to 5 times, thus creating a vertical step-changetransition 33 a between the first portion 35 and the second portion 33.After the vertical transition 33 a, the grass pile of the second portion33 of the wood striking area decrease on a gradual, approximatelylinear, downward slope. In a preferred embodiment, the grass pile variesin height from about 2 inches to about 8 inches, with the maximum heightoccurring at the vertical transition 33 a.

[0038] The present invention is used in the following way. A golferpositions himself on the golf practice mat 10 at the golfer stanceposition 40, with either an iron club 28 or a wood type club 38. FIG. 1illustrates the positioning of the golfer relative to the iron strikingarea 20 and the wood striking area 30. In FIGS. 4 to 6, the golfer ispracticing with an iron 28. When the golfer swings the iron 28 in thedirection of the arrow, the head 29 of the iron 28 engages the secondportion 22 of the iron striking area 20 along face 29 a of the head 29.As the golfer continues to swing the iron 28, the head 29 of the clubcontinues to travel through the increasingly taller grass pile of thesecond portion 22, thereby increasing the resistance exerted against theface 29 a of the head 29 of the iron 28 with a correspondinglyincreasing resistance felt by the golfer. When the club head is near theapex of the second portion 22, the face of the club head is completelyenveloped by the grass pile, as shown in FIG. 4. As the golfer continuesthe swing, shown in FIG. 5, the head of the iron starts to exit thegrass pile of the third portion 26 of the iron striking area 20.Finally, as the golfer completes the swing, i.e. the follow through, thehead 29 of the iron 28 completely disengages from the grass pile of thethird portion 26 of the iron striking area 20, as shown in FIG. 6.

[0039] In FIGS. 9 to 11, the golfer is practicing with a wood type club38. When the golfer swings the wood type club 38 in the direction of thearrow, the head 39 of the wood type club 38 engages the second portion33 at the vertical transition 33 a of the wood striking area 30 along aface 39 a of the head 39, as shown in FIG. 9. As the golfer continuesthe swing, the face of the club head 39 becomes completely enveloped bythe grass pile of the second portion 33, applying an increasedresistance against the face 39 a of the club head 39. As the golfercontinues the swing, the club head 39 gradually emerges from the grasspile of the decreasing height second portion, which exerts decreasingresistance against the face 39 a of the head 39 of the wood type club 38with a correspondingly decreasing resistance felt by the golfer, shownin FIG. 10. As the golfer completes the swing, the head 39 completelyexits the grass pile of the second portion 33 of the wood striking area30, illustrated in FIG. 11.

[0040] An alternate preferred embodiment of the present inventioncombines the practice golf mat 10 with a support structure 60 thatpositions a contoured pile extending generally downwardly over a portionof the iron striking area 20 and the wood striking area 30 such that thegrass piles of the iron and wood striking areas 20, 30 intersect andmesh with a portion of the opposing contoured pile held at a verticalspacing relative to the practice golf mat 10, as shown in FIGS. 12-23.As seen in FIG. 14, the support structure 60 is L-shaped with a verticalleg 62 and a horizontal leg 64. The golf practice mat 10 is attached tothe vertical leg 62 opposite the horizontal leg 64 such that thevertical leg 62 maintains a vertical spacing between the golf practicemat 10 and the horizontal leg 64 of the support structure 60. An uppercarpet 75 is attached to the horizontal leg 64 of the support structure60 and oriented toward the iron striking are 20 and the wood strikingarea 30 of the golf practice mat 10, as illustrated in FIGS. 14 and 21.The upper carpet 75 is comprised of artificial grass or similarmaterial. The pile of the upper carpet 75 is of sufficient length tointersect and mesh with the grass piles of the iron and wood strikingareas 20, 30, as shown in FIGS. 15 and 18, thus significantly increasingthe density of the grass strands of the meshed area 79 at theintersection of the upper carpet 75 pile and the piles of the golfpractice mat 10, as illustrated in FIG. 22. The increased density ofgrass strands results in an increase in the resistance felt by a golferwhen swinging a golf club through the meshed area 79.

[0041] The alternate embodiment of the present invention is used in thefollowing way. A golfer positions himself on the golf practice mat 10 atthe golfer stance position 40, with either an iron club 28 or a woodtype club 38. In FIGS. 18-20, the golfer is practicing with an iron 28.When the golfer swings the iron 28 in the direction of the arrow, thehead 29 of the iron 28 first engages an unmeshed area comprising thesecond portion 22 of the iron striking area 20 and the pile of the uppercarpet 75 along face 29 a of the head 29. As the golfer continues theswing, the head 29 of the club continues to travel through theincreasingly taller grass pile of the second portion 22, therebyincreasing the resistance exerted against the face 29 a of the head 29of the iron 28 with a correspondingly increasing resistance felt by thegolfer. When the club head 29 is near the apex of the second portion 22,the head of the club engages the meshed area 79 comprising the secondportion 22 and the pile of the upper carpet 75, whereby the face 29 a ofthe club head 29 is completely enveloped by the meshed area 79, as shownin FIG. 18. As the golfer continues the swing, shown in FIG. 19, thehead 29 of the iron 28 starts to exit the meshed area 79 along the thirdportion 26 of the iron striking area 20. Finally, as the golfercompletes the swing, i.e. the follow through, the head 29 of the iron 28completely disengages from the grass pile of the third portion 26 of theiron striking area 20, as shown in FIG. 20.

[0042] In FIGS. 15 to 17, the golfer is practicing with a wood type club38. When the golfer swings the wood type club 38 in the direction of thearrow, the head 39 of the wood type club 38 engages the meshed area 79comprising the second portion 33 at the vertical transition 33 a of thewood striking area 30 and the upper carpet 75 along a face 39 a of thehead 39, as shown in FIG. 15. As the golfer continues the swing, theface 39 a of the club head 39 becomes completely enveloped by the meshedarea 79 of the grass pile of the second portion 33, and the pile of theupper carpet 75, applying an increased resistance against the face 39 aof the club head 39. As the swing continues, the club head 39 graduallyemerges from the meshed area 79, shown in FIG. 16. As the golfercompletes the swing, the head 39 completely disengages from the grasspile of the second portion 33 of the wood striking area 30, illustratedin FIG. 17.

[0043] It will therefore be readily understood by those persons skilledin the art that the present invention is susceptible of broad utilityand application. Many embodiments and adaptations of the presentinvention other than those herein described, as well as many variations,modifications and equivalent arrangements, will be apparent from orreasonably suggested by the present invention and the foregoingdescription thereof, without departing from the substance or scope ofthe present invention. Accordingly, while the present invention has beendescribed herein in detail in relation to its preferred embodiment, itis to be understood that this disclosure is only illustrative andexemplary of the present invention and is made merely for purposes ofproviding a full and enabling disclosure of the invention. The foregoingdisclosure is not intended or to be construed to limit the presentinvention or otherwise to exclude any such other embodiments,adaptations, variations, modifications and equivalent arrangements, thepresent invention being limited only by the claims appended hereto andthe equivalents thereof.

What is claimed is:
 1. A golf practice and exercise mat comprising: atleast one contoured hitting surface having an upwardly sloping pilefollowed by a downwardly sloping pile.
 2. A golf practice and exercisemat according to claim 1, wherein the upwardly sloping pile has acurved, moderately steep slope and the downwardly sloping pile has agradual, approximately linear slope, the upwardly sloping pile and thedownwardly sloping pile meeting at an apex.
 3. A golf practice andexercise mat according to claim 2 wherein the upwardly sloping pile atthe apex is sufficient in height to completely envelope a face of aniron club head.
 4. A golf practice and exercise mat according to claim1, wherein the upwardly sloping pile has a gradual approximately linearslope and the downwardly sloping pile has a gradual approximately linearslope, the upwardly sloping pile and the downwardly sloping pile meetingat a transition point wherein the downwardly sloping pile has a heightat least 2 times greater than the upwardly sloping pile height.
 5. Agolf practice and exercise mat according to claim 4, wherein thedownwardly sloping pile has a height between 3 and 5 times greater thanthe height of the upwardly sloping pile at the transition point.
 6. Agolf practice and exercise mat according to claim 4, wherein thedownwardly sloping pile at the transition point is sufficient in heightto completely envelope the face of a wood type club head.
 7. A golfpractice and exercise mat according to claim 1, wherein the at least onecontoured hitting surface includes a contour, for striking by a ironclub, with the upwardly sloping pile having a curved, moderately steepslope and the downwardly sloping pile having a gradual, approximatelylinear slope, the upwardly sloping pile and the downwardly sloping pilemeeting at an apex, and a contour, for striking by a wood type club,with an upwardly sloping pile having a gradual approximately linearslope and a downwardly sloping pile having a gradual approximatelylinear slope, the upwardly sloping pile and the downwardly sloping pilemeeting at a transition point wherein the downwardly sloping pile has aheight at least 2 times greater than the upwardly sloping pile height.8. A golf practice and exercise mat according to claim 7, wherein themat includes a portion on which a golfer may take stances to swing agolf club along either contour.
 9. A golf practice and exercise matcomprising a carpet of artificial grass having a plurality of strikingareas with different contours created by grass pile of varying heights.10. A golf practice and exercise mat according to claim 9 wherein afirst striking area has a first portion, a second portion and a thirdportion, the first portion having grass pile of a first height, thesecond portion having grass pile progressing from the first height to asecond height, and the third portion having grass pile decreasing fromthe second height.
 11. A golf practice and exercise mat according toclaim 10 wherein the grass pile of the second portion progress in acurved upward slope.
 12. A golf practice and exercise mat according toclaim 10 wherein the grass pile of the third portion decrease in anabout linear downward slope.
 13. A golf practice and exercise mataccording to claim 9 wherein a second striking area has a first portionand a second portion.
 14. A golf practice and exercise mat according toclaim 13 characterized further in that an interface between the secondportion and the first portion is a vertical transition.
 15. A golfpractice and exercise mat according to claim 13 wherein the firstportion has grass pile progressing from a first height to a secondheight and the second portion has grass pile decreasing from a thirdheight, the third height being greater than the second height.
 16. Agolf practice and exercise mat according to claim 15 characterizedfurther in that the grass pile of the third height of the second portionof the second striking area are at least 2 times greater than the grasspile of the second height of the first portion of the second strikingarea.
 17. A golf practice and exercise mat according to claim 15characterized further in that the grass pile of the third height arebetween about 3 to 5 times greater than the grass pile at the secondheight.
 18. A golf practice and exercise mat according to claim 15wherein the grass pile of the first portion of the second striking areaincrease from the first height to the second height in an about linearupward slope and the grass pile of the second portion of the secondstriking area decrease from the third height in an about linear downwardslope.
 19. A golf practice and exercise mat according to claim 9 whereinthe practice mat is sufficiently large to accommodate two striking areasand a location on which a golfer may take a stance to swing a golf club.20. A golf practice and exercise mat according to claim 9, whereinheights of the grass pile are between about 2 inches and about 8 inches.21. A golf practice and exercise mat comprising: a lower carpet ofartificial grass having a plurality of striking areas with differentcontours created by grass pile of varying heights; an upper carpethaving different contours created by piles of varying heights; and asupport structure for maintaining the upper carpet in a verticallyspaced relationship relative to the lower carpet wherein the piles ofthe upper carpet are oriented downwardly to intersect with the piles ofthe lower carpet to form an area of increasing density of carpet piles.22. A golf practice and exercise mat according to claim 21, wherein thesupport structure is L-shaped with a horizontal leg and a vertical leg,the upper carpet attached to the vertical leg.